1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a retractable steering device for use on barges carrying bulk or liquid cargo. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to an improved bulk/liquid cargo barge having an enlarged laterally extending cargo hold, peripherally positioned wing tanks, improved maneuverability using steering members positioned to retract at the wing tanks (on bulk cargo models) and/or centrally of the cargo hold (on liquid cargo models), for increasing maneuverability, providing a point or points of resistance under water on barge's bottom around which a tow can be turned (pivotal point or points), to make navigating barges safer, particularly when empty, reduce crabbing and to increase fuel efficiency of the vessel propelling the barges.
2. General Background
Barges are used for transporting a number of different types of cargo over long distances via water. Typically, coal, grain, oil, and other types of bulk and liquid cargo can be shipped in large volumes with flat cargo barges. Barges are typically flat rectangular vessels having vertical side walls and vertical end portions with a flat bottom and deck. The barges are rectangular in plan. This shape allows several barges to be lashed together end-to-end and side-to-side to form what is known in the industry as a "tow".
Cargo barges are unpowered vessels and thus when lashed together as part of a tow they are moved using a powered vessel, typically a tug. The tug is usually lashed to the rear portion of a tow which can be very long. For example, the tow itself may be substantially wider than the tug and sometimes five (5) or ten (10) times the length of a tug in length.
To navigate with such a tow is often a problem when cross winds or strong currents are incurred. This problem is aggravated when a combination of cross wind and strong current makes the front end portion of the tow very hard to control for a tug which is located at the very rear portion of the tow. Sometimes the tow is empty having unloaded its cargo, or possibly when the tug is pushing the tow to a location for the purpose of loading. Empty barges are more susceptible to wind and current forces, thus making steering more difficult.
In order to compensate for cross winds and strong cross currents, a "crabbing" type of posture is assumed by the entire tow. The tug boat operator is forced to slant his vessel at an angle with respect to his intended direction in order to overcome the forces of wind and current acting upon the entire tow. This component is basically lost energy. Further, tows which are required to assume a crabbing posture in order to maneuver in narrow channels or rivers during high cross wind conditions create a hazard to navigation, e.g., navigating through bridges with limited horizontal clearance. Tows can be unstable in strong cross winds or in strong current conditions and especially when the barges form an elongated tow of several barges and especially when the barges are empty. Further, tugs can waste substantial amounts of fuel when an inefficient crabbing type of posture is required in order to maintain a course. In addition, the pivotal point or points afforded by this invention would make a radical change in the course of a tow (as when a tow has to change course significantly then pass through a bridge or enter a lock) more efficient and safer.
Several patents have been granted which relate to barges and steering mechanisms therefor. Additionally, center board type arrangements have been used for sailing vessels for purposes of stability and to prevent crabbing when the wind is acting upon the sail of a vessel. Stabilizers have been used on ocean going ships and powered vessels for the purpose of maintaining a course for that vessel. U.S. Pat. No. 6,299 entitled "Centre Board and Keel", issued Apr. 10, 1849 describes a wooden sailboat having a pivoting keel.
U.S. Pat. No. 890,045 entitled "Boat", issued Nov. 11, 1907 shows a sailboat having steering boards mounted in slots.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,184,207 entitled "Stabilizer For Boats" issued May 23, 1916 illustrates an outrigger type stabilizer that moves up and down exteriorly of the vessel hull.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,150,763 entitled "Barge Construction", issued Mar. 14, 1939 shows a rectangular cargo barge.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,727,572 issued Apr. 17, 1973 describes a fin stabilizer control circuit which accepts signals from a roll angle sensor, a roll rate sensor and a ship's speed sensor. The signals are first processed in a lift order computer which includes an automatic gain control circuit in which the port and starboard lift orders are compared with the square of the ship's speed so as to vary the sensitivity of the control circuits with changes in ship speed and ship residual roll motion. The output signals from the lift order computer are applied to a stroke order computer along with feedback signals representing fin angle and lift. Either feedback signal may be selected for summing with the signal from the lift order computer to produce a stroke order signal that determines the rate of deflection of the stabilizing fins. Limiting circuits in the stroke order computer restrict the stroke order signal in accordance with the larger of the two feedback signals.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,750,607 entitled "Shallow-Draft Boat" issued Aug. 7, 1973 comprises a shallow-draft boat that is operated by omnidirectional thruster means lying below the flat hull, which is stabilized and protected by one or more skegs. The boat has a high beam-to-length ratio, a low depth-to-length ratio, and a low depth-to-beam ratio. Its hull is double-ended and symmetric along both the longitudinal axis and the transverse axis, and the hull has a fully developable surface enabling construction from flat plates without compound curving. One embodiment especially useful as a harbor tugboat, has a high, centrally located deckhouse with an entry well above deck level; this deckhouse is water-tight at the deck, and it may be hinged to swing abut 90.degree. for open access to the hold; the engines lie below this deckhouse and project up into its lower part. Buoyancy compartments are preferably provided at each end, and in some forms of the invention at least one end has adjustable and retractable pusher knees. Other modified forms are simpler and have different special adaptations.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,753,415 entitled "Hydrofoil-Shaped Stabilizing Or Attitude-Affecting Means For Boats", issued Aug. 21, 1973 provides a hydrofoil-shape stabilizer or attitude-changing means for boats, having an elongated frame assembly adapted to be connected to a submerged portion of the hull of a boat with its longitudinal axis parallel to the fore-to-aft axis of the boat. A flexible curtain assembly extends about the frame assembly and is fixed thereto but free to move laterally and to a more limited extent longitudinally relative to the frame assembly. The interior of the curtain assembly communicates with the surrounding water and is deflected to one side or the other relative to the frame assembly by its displacement relative to the water caused by a change in the attitude of the boat so as to form a hydrofoil having a camber for generating forces to oppose the change in attitude to one side or the other when the boat is underway.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,759,208 entitled "Multi-Cargo Barge" contains a stackable lighter having a deck providing a main hatch having a cover and extending the entire length of the lighter along the centerline thereof. The hatch is of a width about one-third that of the lighter and opens to a hold having a length co-extensive with the hatch and width equal to that of the lighter. On the deck at either side of th hatch are disposed a plurality of small hatches properly sized for grain loading equipment and provided with removable covers.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,776,171 entitled "Vessel Having A Control Fin, For Example, A Keel Or Rudder, And Mechanism For Use Therein" issued Dec. 4, 1973 relates to a vessel having a control fin which is fixed to or integral with a shaft rotatable about its longitudinal axis in a bearing attached to the vessel, the shaft being operable to rotate the fin through at least 100.degree. in order to move it between an extended operating position and a retracted position in which the draught of the vessel is substantially reduced with respect to its maximum value, and in order to allow variation of the angle of attack of the fin.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,800,723 entitled "Barge" relates to a barge structure, and to novel hatch-covers that cover the cargo-hold, the hatch-covers being stackable atop each other for compactness when the barge is being loaded or unloaded.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,818,959 entitled "Ship Stabilizer Fin" shows a light-weight, strong, low cost fin for ship stabilization. The fin is composed of plastics materials, such as polystyrene, polyurethane, and the like. The fin is strong and durable in its use as a ship stabilizer. However, the type of materials used in the fin permit the fin to be readily crushed or broken upon impact with other objects, to prevent transmission of forces to the ship which might damage the ship which is stabilized by the fin.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,911,845 entitled "Sailing Hydrofoil Craft" issued Oct. 14, 1975 provides a monohull sailing hydrofoil craft having one or more foils on either side of the craft arranged so that the heel of the craft caused by the wind whilst sailing causes the windward foil or foils to lift clear of the water without any action by the helmsman, the foils being designed so that the righting force they apply by virtue of their shape and without the action of an buoyancy in the foils is such as to counteract the heeling forces.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,217,844 entitled "Barge Dagger Skegs" issued Aug. 19, 1980 shows a row of dagger skegs that project downwardly from the aft portion of the raked counter of a nonpowered, nonsteered barge hull at each side of the longitudinal center line of the hull for stabilizing the barge directionally when towed by a towline trailing a towboat. The upright skegs are of airfoil cross section, and they are tapered downwardly. The leading edge of each skeg, which extends over the major portion of the height of the skeg, is substantially vertical and is spaced rearwardly from the stern counter. The lower end portions of adjacent skegs can be connected by an elongated horizontal bridging member which also is of airfoil cross section having a cambered upper side and a negative angle of incidence.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,326,479 entitled "Movable Skeg For Non-Propelled Barges" issued Apr. 27, 1982 discloses an apparatus for decreasing yaw of a first vessel when the first vessel is pulled by a second vessel which may alternatively be positioned to lessen water resistance when the first vessel is pushed by the second vessel. The apparatus includes a fin movably secured to the first vessel such that the fin may be moved from a first position wherein the fin is in the water to decrease yaw to a second position wherein water resistance is lessened. The apparatus may further provide a linkage for coupling the first and second vessels wherein the apparatus permits freedom of movement of the first vessel relative to the second for pitching, heaving, and if desired rolling motions when the vessels are coupled and further functions a skeg for the first vessel when the first is pulled by second vessel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,381,725 entitled "Actuators For Small Sailing Craft" issued May 3, 1983 relates to actuators for small sailing craft. Fins extend downwardly from opposite sides of the craft and pivot together when the craft lists. The pivoting tends to right the craft. When righted, the fins function like centerboards to stabilize the craft. Preferably, the fins are linked to a pendulum which responds to the listing of the craft.